Hope. Lots of hope. Páirc Uí Rinn was awash with it on Monday evening last.

In finals, where it’s all on the line, you want your big players influencing the game, and that’s exactly what Carbery Rangers got yesterday when they needed it.

Before making the breakthrough in the Cork SFC two years ago, Ballincollig were used to being damned with the faint praise of being a team with potential.

Blackrock 1-21 Duhallow 0-8: Blackrock collected their third Cork U21AHC title in four years – their fifth overall — at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

Blackrock 1-12 Duhallow 1-12: A courageous fightback by 14-man Duhallow earned them a deserved draw in the Cork U21AHC final at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday. 

Sunday’s county SFC semi-final with Nemo Rangers in Páirc Uí Rinn (2pm) represents Carbery Rangers fifth appearance in six years in the last four.

Kanturk 0-12 Cill Na Martra 1-7: Kanturk held their nerve to defeat Cill na Martra in a tough and uncompromising Cork IFC quarter-final replay in Millstreet yesterday.

Carbery Rangers 4-10 Ilen Rovers 1-4 (Cork SFC): An irate member of the Ilen Rovers management team stormed onto the field midway through the second period and began roaring at his players to “get in their face”.

In the mind’s eye, he will always have a hurley in his hand.

Carbery Rangers 1-7 Clyda Rovers 0-8: An opportunist 45th minute goal by Declan Hayes proved the decisive score in this sterile and disappointing Cork SFC second round tie at Coachford yesterday.

Valley Rovers 2-10 Carbery Rangers 0-14: IT isn’t often the sporting planets align to deliver a match climax that maintains the high pitch of everything that preceded it, but such were the delights of last night’s intense Cork SFC first round clash at resplendent Ballinascarthy.

Ballyhale Shamrocks 0-21 Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-14 (AET)

Ballincollig’s Patrick Kelly and Daniel Kearney of Sarsfields were the big winners at last night’s Reardens Cork GAA club All Star awards.

The third annual Reardens Club All Star awards take place next Monday at 7.30pm, with 45 hurlers and 45 footballers in contention to be recognised for their excellence in the senior championships this season.

The closing stages of the Cork senior football championship final seemed to pass in slow motion.

Until recently, it was easy enough to package these two teams in neatly-labelled boxes.

Cork SFC semi-final

Carbery Rangers 2-14 Castlehaven 1-08

Bishopstown 5-10 Carbery Rangers 0-14

There is a fresh look to the Cork team to face Limerick in tomorrow night's Munster SFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 7pm).

Carbery Rangers 2-14 Newmarket 0-07

Veteran Cork defender Noel O'Leary will make his first start of the Allianz League campaign in Sunday's Division 1 duel with Down in Newry (throw-in 2pm).

Conor Counihan will be without his three U21 players for Sunday’s Division One trip to Newry.

Carbery Rangers 1-11 Bishopstown 1-10

A pair of early John Hayes goals provided the platform for Carbery Rangers to advance to the Cork County SFC quarter-finals by overcoming Ballincollig at Bandon last night.

Sinn Féin’s ard fheis comes at a moment when support for the party is on the rise, as it leads the opposition to this week’s referendum.

Carbery Rangers issued a significant statement of intent at the opening hurdle of the Cork SFC in Dunmanway last night when they swept past Clonakilty.

Carbery Rangers produced a significant statement of intent at the opening hurdle of the Cork SFC in Dunmanway last night when they swept past Clonakilty in convincing fashion.

Ilen Rovers claimed their first silverware as a senior football club when they won the Tadhg Crowley Plate final by beating Bishopstown after extra-time in Baltimore yesterday.

NFL Div 1: Donegal 1-7 Cork 0-6

Eight-time All-Ireland SHC winner Michael Kavanagh has become the fourth player from last year's successful Kilkenny panel to call time on his inter-county career.

Cork boss Conor Counihan has made six changes for next Sunday’s McGrath Cup final against Tipperary in Clonmel from the side that overturned CIT in last weekend’s semi-final.

ATTACKER Kevin O’Sullivan is set to return to the Cork senior football squad for their 2012 seasonal opener in the McGrath Cup against Clare on Sunday.

CARBERY Rangers claimed the silverware in dramatic fashion in Dunmanway last night when a 1-1 injury-time blast turned the tables on their championship conquerors Castlehaven in the Cork SFL Division 1 (Kelleher Shield) final.

FOR the first time since 2003, Castlehaven will contest a Cork SFC final, bridging that eight year gap in dazzling fashion at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night.

THIS time around Carbery Rangers made certain of their place in the semi-final of the Cork SFC for the second consecutive year, with more conviction and ability in Saturday evening’s replay in Clonakilty than they had managed seven days earlier.

WE could have done without the excesses of physical challenges on and off the ball which prevailed for much of the game in Clonakilty’s state-of-the-art complex on Saturday afternoon.

KILKENNY have made a single but significant change for tomorrow’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final, recalling former Hurler of the Year Tommy Walsh in defence.